Thalapathy Vijay’s much-awaited film Jana Nayagan has encountered a significant hurdle just days before its scheduled release on January 9, after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) informed the Madras High Court that the film will be reviewed again by a newly appointed censor committee.
The makers of Jana Nayagan had approached the court following a prolonged delay in receiving the censor certificate, despite submitting the film over a month ago. The matter, initially listed for hearing on January 6, has now been deferred to January 7 at 2.15 pm, leaving the production team with limited time to secure certification.
During the hearing, the CBFC stated that the film requires a fresh examination, even though a list of cuts and muted dialogues had reportedly been communicated to the makers on December 19. Certification of the Tamil version is mandatory before dubbed versions in Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada can be cleared, raising concerns over the film’s pan-India release plans.
Despite the uncertainty, audience enthusiasm remains high. Advance bookings in Karnataka have seen strong traction, with several single screens reporting sold-out first-day first-show (FDFS) screenings. Kerala has also registered healthy early sales, reflecting Vijay’s growing fan base in the state.
However, bookings in major metro cities like Mumbai and Delhi are yet to open, as multiplex chains including PVR and INOX require CBFC clearance before ticket sales. Overseas advance collections have reportedly crossed Rs 25 crore.
Directed by H Vinoth, Jana Nayagan is expected to be Vijay’s final film before his full-time political entry. The film features an ensemble cast including Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol, Mamitha Baiju, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Priyamani, and Narain.
All eyes are now on the next court hearing, as fans await clarity on whether the film will meet its planned release date.
